Snow-guard



1 (No Model.)

. I-I. M. BSSBLEN.

' SNOW GUARD.

4110. 591,594. Patented oct. 12,1897.

UNITED STATES`4 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY IWI. ESSELEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SNOW-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,594, dated October 12, 1897.

Appnmionruea May 11,1896. seria No. 591,037. (N5 man.)

drawings, is a specification, like letters'and iigures on the drawings representing. like parts.

This invention relates to metallic snowguards for roofs; and it has forits object the production of a guard which can be readily applied to and secured to a completed roof,

either slate or shingles.

By my present invention I am enabled to apply snow-guards to a completed roof Without disturbing it in the least in a rapid and effective manner, as will more fully appear in the following specification, wherein other novel features of my invention will. be described, and particularly pointed out inthe claims. u

Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, are .perspective views of several forms of snowguard embodying my presentfinvention, the snowstop or loop in Figsl-2- and l being broken off to save space. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the guard shown in Fig. 1, taken on the line who andshowing the guard in place on a roof., Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line w a', Fig.. 3, and showing the position of a portion 'of the shank of the guard when on the roof; .and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a slate roof with aseries of snow-guards in position thereon.

I have herein shown the snow-guard as preferably made of a piece of heavy wire, com-V prising a shankc, Fig. l, upturned at one end, as at d', and bent laterally in loop form at a2 to form the snow-stop, which projects above the roof transversely to the shank. v

The shank a is flattened in a plane substantially at right angles to the upright portion a and quite thin to readily-slip beneath two courses of overlapping slates or shingles, as s S', Figs. 5 and 7, and at its opposite end the shank is shown as provided with a preferably spring prong or projection ax, extended from its under side.

When the shank is forced up between the overlapping courses of slates, the prong is forced into 'theV cavity a3 in the shank until it passes beyond the upper edge of the slate s, Vwhereupon it immediately springs out and engages said edge, 4securely holding the guard from withdrawal.

Two adjacent slates of a course usually lap over the top of the shank to better distribute the strain, and to secure greater rigidity of the snow-stop on its shank I swage the metal at the bend, as at a4, widening it in the direction of 'greatest strain.

In Fig. 2 the shank h is flattened in a ver? tical plane rearwardly from the loop or snowstop b and then broadened laterally at its opposite end, as at h2, said enlargement or fin having a resilient prong b3 normally bent down below the plane of the under side of the shank. When such guard is applied', preferably', where heavy or thick slates are used,

the shank b is slid in vbetweenjtwo adjacent slates of a course until therprong bx springs over thenpper end of the slate of the course beneath, the fin with the vertically-ilattened eled, as at 3, Fig. 6, and'to adapt fthe snowguard to such slates I make a portion of the shank triangular in cross-section, as at d', Figs. 3 and 6, with the apex down to flt into the groove made by two adjacent slates of a course. j

The upper end of the shank is laterally flattened, as at d, and providedwithaprong dx, the flattened portion being depressed to be substantially in alinement with the lower edge of the triangular portion d.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the thin flattened shanks of the guards can be readily inserted between two courses of slates or shingles and pushed up until the prong engages the upper edge ofthe slate beneath.

IOO

My invention is particularly well adapted for application to slate roofs, as it is very difiieult to apply snow-guards to a completed roof of such construction.

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction nor shape of guard herein shown, nor to any particular shape or 'size of wire from which the guards are made, so long as the guard composed of a single piece of wire is adapted to be inserted and held in place between two or more previously-positioned roof members.

Having described my invention, what I clailn as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A snow-guard composed of a single piece of wire bent to form a shank and an upturned loop or snow-stop, said wire intermediate the shank and loop being of increased diameter in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the roof or other support, and parallel to the direction of movement of the snowthereon, substantially as described.

2. A snow-guard adapted to be inserted between the roof members after the latter have been secured in place, said guard being composed of a single piece of wire bent to present asnow-stop portion, and a holdin g-shank extended therefrom, said holding-shank be, ing constructed for insertion between two previously-positioned roof members, and provided with a depending centrally-located resilient retaining-prong integral with the said holding-shank, and surrounded by the rigid or unyielding body of the shank, whereby said surrounding rigid body portion presents a leading end for the shank nnaiected by the changing positions of the resilient retainingprong, and therefore presenting at all times a leading end capable of ready insertion between ad jacent roof members without binding upon either, substantially as described.

3. A wire snow-guard comprising a shank laterally flattened at one end and provided with a downturned resilient projection, an upturned loop at the other end of and transverse to the shank, the metal between said shank and loop being swaged to impart greater rigidity and strength thereat in the line of greatest strain, substantially as dcscribed.

4. A snow-guard comprising a shank laterally flattened at one end and provided with a retaining projection, and upturned at its other end to forni a loop or snow-stop transverse to the shank, the latter between said loop and ilattened portieri being downwardly and inwardly beveled along its sides, substantially as described.

5. A snow-guard composed of a single piece of wire bent to `present a snow-stop transversely to the direction of movement of the snow and having a shank to rest in the interstice between a plurality of roof members lying substantially in the same plane, said shank being wedge-shaped in cross-section with the apex of the wedge inferiorly located,

so that the pressure of the snow against the stop will tend to wedge or seat the shank against the abutting edge or edges of the adjacent roof member or members, substantially as described.

6. A snow-guard composed of a single piece of wire adapted to be positioned after the several roof members are in place, said guard consisting of a snow-stop portion and its flattened supporting shank, the latter being adapted to be inserted between and held entirely beneath two adjacent previously-positioned roof members, while the former extends upwardly between and above said adjacent members, said iiattened shank having a resilient retaining-prong integral with and normally projecting beyond the central portion of the under face of said shank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I havev signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, HENRY M. ESSELEN.

lVitnesses:

AUGUSTA E. DEAN, ALEX. CowPnR PRoUDrrr. 

